Photographic printing apparatus



Jan; 10, 1933. w, ROSE 1,894,005

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS Original Filed April 20, 1951 Patented Jan. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHOTOGBAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS Original application filed April 20, 1831, Serial No. 531,544, and in Great Britain Kay 12, 1980. Divided and this application filed April 5, 1982. Serial No. 003,889.

This invention relates to photographic printing, projecting or like apparatus 111 which a readily releasable clamp is provided for holding a film or other sheet of material in position for printing, projecting, inspection or other purposes, an has for its ob ect to provide an improved form of holding device for automatically clamping and positioning the film or the like.

According to this invention the holding and clamping device comprises a fixed support, a carriage for the film, print or the like, mounted so as to slide on the support, means for clamping one edge of the film to the carriage, a clamping frame for the film so lV- oted on the carriage that during its nal clamping movement it tends to draw the film away'from the initially clamped edge and thus to flatten the film before clamping, 2 and means actuated by the carriage as it travels for imparting movement to the clamping frame.

Conveniently the means for clamping one edge of the film to the carriage is operated to release such edge of the film automatically during the final movement of the carriage towards its withdrawn or loadin position and to grip such edge of the film urin the initial movement of the carriage towar 5 its printing or other operative position. Such clamping means may comprise for example a plate, preferably of a resilient nature, which is normally held in the clamping position either by reason of its resilience or by one or more springs, but is released or lifted to permit the edge of a film to be withdrawn or inserted, by ramps on the support which engage the plate or members thereon as the carriage 1s moved into its fully withdrawn position.

Conveniently the clamping frame is of square or rectangular form the four edges being arranged to engage the edges of the film or the like when the plate is in its clamping position. Further the pivotal mounting of the frame is preferably so off-set from the.

plane in which the frame lies and disposed approximately vertically above the free or rear edge of the film that during the final clamping movement the edge of the frame which engages the free edge of the film swings down onto this film ed e in a direction away from the front or initially clamped edge so as to smooth the film out before clamping.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways but one construction according to this invention is illustrated by way of examplein the accompanying drawing, in which, A

Figure 1 is a perspective view,

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section showin the film holder in its operative position, an

Figure 3 is a similar view to that of Figure 2 indicatin the action of the film holder as it is move to grip the film.

In the construction illustrated the film holder comprises a base plate R havin a? printing aperture and rovided with guide blocks R for a slidin film supporting plate or carriage R the orward end of which carries a hand grip It whereby it can be caused to slide. Formed in the carriage R is a film a erture provided with a lass panel B and adiacent to the forward e ge of this panel lies one edge of a spring plate R the other edge of which is rigidly secured to the forward end portion of the sliding plate It. The arrangement is such that by reason of the springy nature of the plate R the free edge of this plate always tends to be pressed into contact with the adjacent. edge of the glass panel R.

Mounted on the under face of the plate R adjacent to its free edge is a metal bar R having an inclined lower surface, the

ends of this bar extending beyond the lateral edges of the plate and being adapted, when the sliding plate A is moved into its withdrawn position, to engage correspondingly wedge-shaped blocks R on the base plate It so as to lift the free edge of the plate R from the glass panel B. It will thus be seen that when the sliding plate R is in its fully withdrawn position the edge of a film can be inserted between the free edge of the plate R and the corresponding part of the glass panel. If then the sliding" late R is pushed forward the free edge 0 the plate R will be permitted to move downwards due to the springy nature of this plate so as to ip the edge of the film.

ecured to the sliding plate R at a point thereon on the side of the glass panel remote from the plate R" are two lugs S having vertical slots S in which are adapted to slide and pivot the ends of a pivot pin' S extending between two ramp members S which carry a clamping frame F. The ramp members S are, as shown, of approximately L-shape and, as the sliding plate R is moved into its withdrawn position, are adapted to engage rollers T on a transverse shaft T mounted on a fixed axis. In this way as the sliding plate It is moved into its withdrawn position the ramp members S are caused to rock about the axis of the pivot pin S so as to move the clamping frame S out of engagement with the film and, in order that the clamping frame may be lifted completely clear of the film, two legs S are secured to and extend from the rear of the clamping frame as shown, these legs coming into engagement with and being caused to slide along the surface of the sliding plate R so as to lift the ramps S and the clamping frame S bodily in addition to its pivotal movement, the slots 1) in the lugs D permitting this bodily movement.

Thus while the film is being inserted in position or removed, the apparatus is in the position shown in Figure 1, while when the film is in its clamped position the apparatus is as shown in Figure 2. With the arrangement shown it will be seen that, owing to the position of the pivot pin S relatively to the plane of the clamping frame S and to the fact that only the forward edge of the film is gripped by the plate R", the clamping frame, as it descends to clamp the film, exercises a smoothing action on the film in a direction away from its clamped edge as indicated in Figure 3.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows. Whenga film is to be inserted the sliding plate or carriage R is moved to its withdrawn position as shown in Figure 1, and it will be seen that the clamping frame S" is thus lifted clear of the film while the free edge of the plate R is raised by the action of the wedge-shaped blocks R on the bar R so that a film can be inserted in position on the glass panel B with one edge lying under the free edge of the plate R The slidin plate R is now pushed backwards and uring its initial movement the bar R moves out of engagement with the lugs B so that the free edge of the plate R descends and grips the adjacent edge of the film. Further sliding movement of the plate R towards its printing position in which the glass panel R lies immediately over the printing aperture in the base plate R now permits the clamping frame S to descend. During the final movement of this frame into its operative printin position it passes throu h the position s own in Figure 3 so that t e rear edge of the frame S tends to draw the film away from the edge which is clamped by the plate R immediately before the frame S moves into the position shown in Figure 2 in which it clamps the edges of the film firmly. It will be appreciated that this final swinging movement of the frame S, which smooths and flattens the film just before it is clamped, reduces the risk of the clamping action of the plate converting the natural curl which films tend to have-into a crease or kink such as might be obtained if the clamping frame only moved in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the glass panel R. When the film is to be removed the plate or carriage R is moved again into its withdrawn position as indicated in Figure 1, thus causing the clamping frame S to be lifted completely from the film and the front edge of the film to be released by the plate R whereupon the film can be removed and another film inserted in position, the action of the apparatus to clamp and flatten this film as the carriage R is moved into its operative printing position being as described above.

Although the present invention is described with particular reference to its application to the various forms of photo graphic printing apparatus forming the subject of the present applicants co-pending "United States patent application Serial No. 531,544, it is to be understood that it may be applied to other forms of photographic printing, projecting or like apparatus. For example it may be used for contact printing, in which case the film and a piece of printing paper or like sensitized printing medium may be placed simultaneously in the clamping device. Alternatively it may be used for holding a print or film in position for inspection or other purposes.

It is further to be understood that the arrangement more particularly described above is given by way of example only and that constructional details may be modified without departing from this invention.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. For use with a photographic printing apparatus, a film holder including in combination a carriage for the film, a support along which the carriage can slide, means-for clamping the front edge of the film on the carriage, upwardly projecting lugs dis osed at the rear of the carriage, a clamping rame for the film so pivoted to the lugs with its pivotal axis ofiset from the plane of the frame that the final clamping movement of the frame is a swinging movement which tends to draw the film away from the clamped edge and thus flatten the film before clamping, means actuated by the carriage as it travnesaoot els for imparting movement to the clamping frame, andmeans whereby the initial movement of the carriage towards the printing position automatically operates the said means for clamping one edge of the film.

2. For use with a photographic printing apparatus, a film holder including in combination a carriage for the film, a support along which the carriage can slide, means for clamping the front edge of the film to the carriage, upwardly projecting lugs at the rear of the carriage having vertical slots therein, a clamping frame for the film hav ing pivots which engage the vertical slots in the lugs, these pivots being offset from the plane of the frame so that the final clamping movement of the frame is a swinging movement about its pivots which tends to draw the film awa from the clamped edge and thus flatten t e film before clamping, projecting arms on the frame adapted to engage the carriage as the frame is rotated about its-pivots and thus cause the pivots to slide along the slots so as to lift the frame clear of the film, and means actuated by the carriage'as it travels for imparting movement to the clamping frame.

3. For use with photographic printing apparatus, a film holder including, in combination, a carriage for the film, a support on which this carriage slides so as to occu y an operative printing position or a with rawn loading position in which a film can be removed from or placed on the carriage, means for clamping one edge of the film to the carriage comprising a ripping plate which is normally maintaine in its clamping position an at least one ramp on the support arranged to engage the plate so as to move it into its released position during the final movement of the carriage into its oading position, a clamping frame for the film pivoted on the carriage so that during its final clamping movement it tends to draw the film away from the clamped edge and thus flatten the film before clamping, and means actuated by the carriage as it travels for imparting movement to the clamping frame.

4. For use with photographic printin apparatus, a film holder including, in com ination, a carriage for the film, a support on which this carriage slides so as to occu y an operative printing position or a with rawn loading position in which a film can be removed from or placed on the carriage, means for clamping one edge of the film to the carriage comprising a resilient gripping plate mounted so that it tends always to be main tained in its clamping position, a member adjacent to the clamping edge-of said plate having an inclined lower surface and at least one ramp on the support adapted to engage the inclined lower surface of the member so as to move the plate into its released position during the final movement of the carriage into its loading position, a clamping frame for the film pivoted on the carriage so that during its final clamping movement it tends to draw the film away from the clam edge and thus flatten the film before c amping,

and means actuated by the carriage as it travels for imparting movement to t e clamping frame. I

5., For use with a photographic printing apparatus, a film holder including in combination a carriage for the film, a support along which the carria e can slide, means for clamping the front e ge of the film on the carriage, upwardly projectin lugs dis oscd at the rear of the carriage, a c amping rame for the film, L-shaped members attached to and upwardly projecting from said frame, a pivot pin for the frame extending betweensaid members and ivoted to the In so that the pivotal axis 0 the frame is o et from the plane thereof whereby the final clamping movement of the frame is a swinging movement which tends to draw the film away from the clamped edge and thus flatten the film before clamping, a fixed transverse shaft mounted above the su port so that as the carriage is withdrawn f sition the ends of the L-shaped members engage this shaft and the frame is caused to rotate about its pivots to move out of engagement with the film.

6. For use with photographic printin apparatus, a fihn holder including, in com ination, a carriage for the film, a support on which this carriage slides so as to occupy an operative printing position or a withdrawn loading position in which a film can be removed from or placed on the carriage, means for clamping one edge of the film to the carriage comprising a resilient gripping plate mounted s0 that it tends always to be main rom the printing poj tained in its clamping position, a member adjacent to the clamping ed of said late having an inclined lower sur ace and at east one ramp on the support adapted to engage the inclined lower surface of the member so as to move the plate into its released position during the final movement of the carriage into its loading position, upwardly projecting lugs at the rear of the carria e having vertical slots therein, a clamping frame for the film having pivots which engage the vertical slots in the lugs, these pivots being offset from the plane of the frame so that the final clamping movement of the frame is a swinging movement about its pivots which tends to draw the film away from the clamped edge and thus flatten the film before clamping, projecting arms on the frame adapted to engage the carria e as the frame is rotated about its pivots and thus cause the pivots to slide along the slots so as to lift 7.- For use with a photographic printing apparatus, a'film holder including in combmation a carriage for the film, a support along which the carriage can slide, means 5 for clamping the front edge of the film to the carriage, upwardly projecting lugs at the rear of the carriage having vertical slots therein, a clamping rame for the film, L- shaped members attached to and projecting upwardly from said vframe,a pivot pin extending between said members and engaging in the vertical slots in the lugs so that the pivotal axis of the frame is offset from the plane thereof whereby the final clamping movement of the frame is a swinging movement about its pivots which tends to draw the film away from the clamped edge and thus flatten the film before clamping, projecting arms on the frame adapted to engage the carriage as the frame is rotated about its pivots and thus cause the pivots to slide along the slots so as to lift the frame clear of the film, a fixed transverse shaft mounted above the support so that as the carriage is withdrawn from the printing position the ends of the L-shaped members engage this shaft and the frame is caused to rotate about its pivots'to move out of engagement with the film and means whereby during the initial movement of the carriage towards the printing position the said means for clamping one edge of the film is automatically operated.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM HGRMIE THOHAS MIIPLING ROSE. 

